Two children were injured in an Orange County car accident after an SUV ran into a McDonald’s the morning of August 20, 2009. According to a news report in The Orange County Register, a 77-year-old woman backed her Saturn Vue into the side door of a McDonald’s restaurant in the 700 block of North Euclid in Anaheim, California. An infant and a child inside the restaurant were struck and taken to the hospital with injuries. The SUV’s driver complained of pain, Anaheim police officials said. The woman may have been backing out of a handicapped parking spot across from the side door when the crash occurred.
I’m relieved that no one sustained life-threatening injuries in this Anaheim car accident that certainly could’ve turned out a lot worse. I wish the two injured children the very best for a quick and complete recovery. I hope their injuries were not serious. Please keep them in your prayers.
Orange County Car Accident Statistics
According to California Highway Patrol’s 2007 Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System (SWITRS), 30 fatalities and 2006 injuries were reported in Anaheim as a result of car accidents. In Orange County as a whole, 178 deaths and 14,185 injuries occurred in 2007 involving car accidents.
Based on this newspaper report, it appears that this car accident was the elderly driver’s fault. However, at this point, we do not know what caused her to lose control of her SUV and crash into the restaurant. She may have simply hit the gas instead of the brake, had the wrong gear on or may have even suffered a medical condition. I trust officials are looking into whether she was impaired as a result of alcohol or prescription drugs. Given the driver’s age, I would look into whether she should have been driving in the first place. Investigators should also look into whether she is physically and mentally able to drive in the future. This accident could be her wake-up call.
Car Accidents Involving Elderly Drivers
The California car accident lawyers at Bisnar Chase Personal Injury Attorneys have been extremely concerned about the spate of recent car accidents involving elderly drivers in Southern California. There is cause for concern here because California now has almost 3 million drivers who are 65 years or older, according to the Department of Motor Vehicles. California laws currently allow senior drivers to renew their licenses over mail, with minimal requirements, and not have to submit to actual driving tests. This is a travesty because the driving tests can be critical in identifying those drivers whose physical ability or mental awareness is deteriorating. Such requirements are long due in California and will go a long way in preventing these types of accidents and potential tragedies.